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Integration of distributed generation and wind energy in Canada

Conference Paper · January 2006

DOI: 10.1109/PES.2006.1709430 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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 Invited Paper IEEE-Power Engineering Society General Meeting and Conference, Montréal Canada, June 18-22, 2006
Integration of Distributed Generation and
Wind Energy in Canada
C. Abbey, Student Member, IEEE, F. Katiraei, Member, IEEE, C. Brothers,
L. Dignard-Bailey, and G. Joos, Senior Member, IEEE
Abstract—This paper provides an overview of the present
and future status of distributed generation (DG) and wind
energy in Canada. Emphasis is placed on the role that these
technologies presently play in the modern power system
structure, through discussion of four Canadian case studies.
The role of Natural Resources Canada in removing barriers
and facilitating greater introduction of these resources is
presented. Taking the present situation and anticipated
research and regulatory developments into account, we
conclude with an outlook on the development and future role
of DG and wind energy in Canada.
Index Terms— network benchmark, renewable energy,
distributed generation, wind energy, small hydro, planned
islanding, wind-diesel, aggregation.
I. INTRODUCTION
P resently, widespread integration of distributed
generation (DG) and wind energy in Canada is still in
its infancy. However, shifts in provincial and federal
policies, together with new technological developments
suggest that wind and DG will likely play increasingly
important roles in the coming decades. In the province of
Quebec alone, over 3000 new MW of wind will be
integrated by 2013. Similar trends exist in many of the
other provinces. The growth of wind energy will likely be
complemented by that of small hydro and combined heat
and power (CHP) DG. These technologies have the
potential to provide part of the energy needs for urban,
rural, as well as remote communities in Canada. With its
unique structure, constraints, and generation mix, the
Canadian power grid could greatly benefit from a greater
integration of DG, should many of the challenges be
properly addressed, in order to limit the impacts and make
these energy resources functional units of the future power
system.
II. STATUS
While the development of wind and other renewables in
Canada has lagged somewhat behind leaders in other parts
of the world, the recent growth and plans for future
C. Abbey (cabbey@nrcan.gc.ca), F. Katiraei and L. Dignard-Bailey are
with the CANMET Energy Technology Centre (Natural Resources
Canada, Varennes, Canada).
C. Brothers is with Frontier Power Systems (Charlottetown, PEI).
G. Joos is with McGill University (Montréal, Canada).
1
MW
14
MW
274
MW
22
20 212
MW 15 MW
MW
MW
32
MW
Fig. 1. Present status of integration of wind in Canada
development are promising. The current level of installed
wind in Canada is now around 600 MW (146 MW installed
in 2005), which is expected to grow to around 7500 MW
by 2012, representing 3.5% of Canada’s total generation
mix, [1].
The installation of wind has been predominantly at the
transmission level, however it has also been integrated in
distribution networks and helps to supply the energy needs
of rural and remote communities, where it offers some
interesting advantages. The continued growth of distributed
generation will likely be fueled in part by the growth of
distributed wind, complemented by run-of-river hydro and
with CHP and fossil fuel based technologies in urban
centers. At present, there are still a number of hurdles that
need to be overcome in order to realize the full potential of
these new technologies.
A. Challenges
There exist a number of barriers which impede the
growth of DG in Canada, and may result in either delays or
can even be sufficient to hinder potential developers
altogether. As the interconnection of DG involves a
number of specialized fields, the complexity of the problem
and the various obstacles are aggravated by this fact. The
different challenges that need to be addressed are
summarized briefly here.
1) Relevant standards
The connection of DG has been addressed to date in
various studies and is reflected in various standards as are
identified in [2],[3]. These standards have gone a long way
and are a good first step for increasing DG integration.
They cannot however replace the engineering study for a
typical installation and due to lack of experience and
industry training required. The assessment of the technical
feasibility of an installation on a distribution network can,
at the very least, result in undesirable delays.
2) Technical
The interconnection of DG inevitably changes the
characteristics of the system to which it is being connected,
due to the fact that distribution systems were traditionally
designed with the assumption of a passive network. The
consequence of the integration of DG is that this
assumption is no longer valid. There are a number of
technical challenges that needs to be addressed, which
include:
i) Distribution network planning and operation
ii) Protection coordination
iii) Voltage profile and voltage regulation
iv) Power quality
As the impact and consequently the level of DG that a
particular network is able to accept is very system specific,
the emphasis for removing the technical barrier needs to be
on developing methodologies for addressing this level for a
given distribution system and providing the necessary tools
for these studies. Furthermore, the planning strategy also
needs to be re-evaluated with the philosophy that DG may
be integrated as part of this process and maximize benefits
through, for instance, DG placement strategies for T&D
upgrade deferral.
3) Regulatory
The regulatory aspects related to DG, which includes
the connection agreements that are required, policies on
metering, as well as the financial value of the energy and
ancillary services provided by DG, are critical issues and,
in many cases, will serve as the balance that will ultimately
decide whether a project will be feasible or not. That said,
this is perhaps the area that has received the least amount
of attention up to this point. As the technical and
standardization aspects become resolved, more of the focus
will inevitably need to be shifted towards these policy and
regulatory issues in the coming years.
B. Natural Resources of Canada (NRCan) support
In 2003, 500 million dollars in Technology and
Innovation funding was announced to help address
greenhouse gas reduction and climate change. Part of this
funding envelope was devoted to R&D and regulatory
support of decentralized energy production (DEP)
technologies, [4]. The primary goals under the DEP
program are the removal of institutional barriers that
prevent DEP installation (by 2010), and for 20% of new
and replacement generation capacity to be met by DEP by
2025. Theme areas included in this R&D program are: grid
integration; renewable energy use; and fossil fuel
conversion. DG production generally refers to
environmentally preferred on-site power generating plants
of less than 1 MW capacity; however, for the scope of this
program, highly efficient combined heat and power plants
(up to 25 MW) and wind farms are also included. These
systems will increase the reliability of, and reduce GHG
and air emissions from Canada’s electric power system at
an acceptable economic cost to Canadians.
Preliminary analysis indicates that addressing the
institutional barriers to grid integration needs to proceed
quickly over the short term (by 2010). Appropriate
regulatory regimes must be in place first for commercial
applications to succeed. Electricity regulations mainly fall
under provincial jurisdictions in Canada, requiring
collaboration with many jurisdictions and provincial
utilities. Several activities have been initiated to provide
on-going support to regulatory agencies that may or may
not be addressing the barriers to the grid integration of DG.
Although, Canada has significant energy resources,
conventional (e.g. natural gas) sources are declining and
improved system efficiencies are required. Therefore, the
DEP program will focus on unconventional and renewable
sources. In technological areas where other countries
already lead, DEP will focus on uniquely Canadian
circumstances, such as: high-velocity, low-temperature
wind regimes; cold climates, wind/hydro dispatch and
storage opportunities; long-transmission distances; and
applications for remote, northern communities.
Through execution of the DEP program activities under
the three technology theme areas (Grid integration;
Renewable energy use; CHP Fossil fuel conversion), the
DEP program will help deliver on the desired outcomes in
the short, medium and long term as shown in Fig. 2.
Short – 2008 Med – 2015 Long – 2025
Outcome
Outcomes
• Codes & standards
Outcomes Outcomes
• Industry adoption of • Provincial & utility
• Interconnection guidelines new concepts recognition that DEP
& regulations • New national codes & is legitimate concept
• Resource forecasting standards • Provincial strategies that
• Proof of concepts • Acceptance of DEP in lead to 35,000 MW of
• Grid integration modeling provincial planning new renewable energy
• Systems with non -traditional & policy • Institutional approaches
fuels • Initial deployment of enable consumers to
• National /international
innovation networks
technology by
industry partners
use DSR & DEP
technology
Fig. 2. Anticipated outcomes targeted governmental R&D support
Therefore, by 2010, the program aims to modify current
codes and standards and interconnection guidelines and
regulations such that on site production will be no more
restricted than on site demand reduction. Grid integration
modeling will help guide regulatory changes. Other
activities will include resource assessments for renewable
resources and the deployment of systems that use non-
traditional fuels (waste, bioenergy). Federal research
laboratories will work with universities and utilities to
establish stronger research networks that will aid in
understanding how to integrate large blocks of intermittent
power and distributed generation into the grid.
 The technology early action measures (TEAM) program
has also been set up to support the demonstration of
innovative products that have not yet reached the
commercial stage and can offer measurable reductions in
greenhouse gases, [5]. Together these R&D and
demonstration programs will help to accelerate the
integration of renewable and distributed energy resources
in Canada.
III. CANADIAN INNOVATION
The growth in interest in DG in Canada to date can be
attributed to innovative utilities and developers that have
taken the initiative to integrate DG into their systems,
despite the formidable challenges that have existed and in
lack of the appropriate technical and regulatory support. In
many cases, these efforts have led to an improvement in the
operation and reliability of these same power networks. In
this section, four industry case studies are presented to
serve as a sample of some of the best Canadian examples
and benchmarks against which to measure future projects.
A. BC Hydro Boston Bar
Planned islanding of an area downstream of a
distribution substation is a microgrid application that has
already been implemented in Canada. Fig. 3 shows the one-
line diagram of the BC Hydro Boston Bar 69/25 kV
substation comprising of three radial feeders and an 8.6-
MVA run-of-river hydro-electric plant [6]. The hydro-
electric plant is connected to one of the feeders with winter
peak load of 3-MW and operated by an independent power
producer (IPP). Power outages between 12- and 20-hour
periods, a couple of times per year are typically
experienced due to permanent outages on the 69-kV line
connecting the substation to the BC Hydro grid. The hydro-
power plant is equipped with islanding capability to
accommodate planned islanding of primarily the
interconnected feeder and in some occasions the adjacent
substation feeders as well, depending on power generation
level and load demand.
Fig. 3. One line diagram of BC Hydro Boston Bar
The planned islanding practice has been functioning since
1995 and has resulted in significant reliability
improvements for this BC Hydro system and financial
gains for the local IPP. The project provides excellent
experience basis for other utilities.
B. Sherbrooke Hydro
Sherbrooke Hydro is a small distribution company in the
province of Québec that purchases electricity from Hydro-
Québec. The rate at which Sherbrooke Hydro buys
electricity is based on a particular rate structure, whereby
the cost of electricity depends on the amount of energy
(MWh), the maximum power (MW) and a surcharge for
any power level exceeding a predefined upper limit. This
structure provides a strong incentive for peak load
management as is described in a recent CANMET report,
[7].
Fig. 4. Aggregation of back-up units for peak load shaving
To address this issue Sherbrooke Hydro launched a
program which compensates facilities for the controlled use
of their back-up generators for peak demand management,
Fig.4. During peak periods, which are strongly correlated
with the coldest days of the year, Sherbrooke Hydro
dispatches the back-up generators of the 22 participating
clients in order to limit the power required from the
substation. In this way, they are able to aggregate the
capacity of the individual units and can dispatch up to 6.5
MW for demand response. Each of the customers are paid a
rate for the energy supplied during these periods, in
addition to any initial costs related to equipping their
generators with grid parallel operation.
The use of these back-up units, together with a demand
response programs for controllable loads has led to
significant savings for the utility, while a portion of the
profits have been transfer to those participating parties in
the form of a reduced energy bill. The premise of the
program, while seemingly simple, provides the architecture
for more elaborate approaches, such as the virtual power
plant or local microgrid concept, that could combine a
wider variety of distributed energy resources in a
coordinated demand response resources (DRR) program
strategy.
C. Newfoundland Labrador Hydro
Traditionally, remote communities in Canadian have
been supplied electricity almost exclusively by diesel units,
due to the reliability and confidence in the technology.
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has challenged the
norm by incorporating a significant amount of wind into
the island community of Ramea.
The developer, Frontier Power Systems, with support
from the TEAM demonstration program, [5], integrated
325 kW of wind into a community with a peak load of 1.2
MW, Fig. 5. While the utility remains ultimately
responsible for supply of the load, wind generation from
this independent power producer can feed its total output
into the system as long as the diesel unit is loaded at least
50%. The control system facilitates the smooth integration
of wind and ensures interoperability with the existing
remote grid. This project is the first of its kind in Canada
with the hope that this will help to increase the acceptance
of this wind-diesel hybrid solution as a competitive
alternative for remote systems applications.
Fig. 5. Ramea wind-diesel remote site configuration
D. FortisAlberta
FortisAlberta is an electricity distributor that operates
networks in Southern Alberta and has integrated large
amounts of DG into their systems. One particular feeder
incorporates both wind and hydro generation, a
combination that will likely become more common in
Canada, particularly for rural systems.
On the Fortis Alberta rural feeder of interest, the
installed capacity of the generation exceeds that of the load
and during times of high generation the DG may produce
more than the local requirements, Fig. 6. This results in
reverse power flow across many of the voltage regulators,
which has caused unpredictable operation and in some
cases unfavorable voltage profiles, [8].
This base case is of interest as it combines a number of
renewable technologies (total 3 MW hydro and 3.78 MW
wind) and illustrates some of the technical problems that
can occur when DG is interconnected to systems with long
lines. The participation of the utility and their willingness
to collaborate has been very useful in documenting real
problems and assessing limitations of conventional tools
that are currently used to assess the impact of distributed
generation on power systems. In this case the DGs are not
allowed to operate in an islanded mode and must
automatically disconnect if there is a fault on the feeder.
Fig. 6. Wind-hydro rural distribution feeder integration
E. Benchmarks and tools
Through the federally funded program, NRCan is
focusing on a structured approach to removing the
technical barriers, through the development of Canadian
benchmarks to study the different issues, as well as
supporting the development of the necessary models and
tools for planning and simulation of DG in current power
systems. This involves participation in the CIGRE
Benchmarking Taskforce and working with CYME
International in incorporating the necessary functionalities
for modeling of DG into these tools. These activities are
described in more detail in sections IV and V of this paper.
IV. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The modern power system has greatly benefited from
microprocessor based devices as well as recent
developments in communication for applications ranging
from protection to control and operation. DG as an
emerging technology also offers the potential to improve
power system reliability, increase diversity, and provide
greater flexibility to help match the increasing and ever
changing energy needs of the world’s population. Small
capacity generators essentially operate in three types of
modes: grid connected, remote grids, and capability to
operate grid connected or in islanded mode. The third
mode can greatly benefit from experience gained operating
the former two. In all cases, the flexibility and ease with
which DG can be integrated will depend in large part on
the monitoring and communication capabilities present in
the network of interest.
A. Distribution System Automation
The power of communication in a power system is that
one has greater access to information, enabling improved
control, observability and planning of the system. It is
apparent that DG will depend on an improved
communication infrastructure and therefore would benefit
from increased investment in distribution system
automation. As many distribution companies are currently
implementing distribution system automation (DSA)
programs (e.g. Hydro-Québec), they are at the same time
investing in DG although this is usually not the primary
driving force. Not only will this permit monitoring of DG
operation but it can also be used in the future to aid in
planning and optimized system operation.
Communication between DGs, and between DG and the
distribution system operator will increase the likelihood of
high penetration of DG. At present it is not clear how this
distribution infrastructure should be designed and, more
importantly, who will be responsible for these network
system upgrade costs. In the case of large wind parks,
communication is vital to properly coordinate its operation
with that of the power system. In many cases the
transmission upgrades required to bring wind power to
regional loads was spread among rate payers since it was
seen as a public good objective. Similarly, widespread
integration of DG on the distribution network will not
occur until the necessary communication and distribution
automation and protection infrastructure is in place and the
integration costs are accounted for.
B. Demand Response Resources (DRR)
The connection of DG to the main grid can bring about
a number of benefits, which can be maximized by
coordinating the response of the different units in order to
achieve various objectives. Combining the response of
generators with on demand load curtailment can further
improve the effectiveness of this type of a program. The
benefits of DG as part of a demand response program
design, such as Sherbrooke Hydro, needs to be considered.
The province of Ontario has set a target of 250 MW for
demand response, and the aggregation of DGs can be
considered when considering deferral of investments by
utilities and “non-wires” solutions.
Targeted requests for proposal for demand response
projects can favour specific regions where the benefits are
valued. Favourable pricing signals can be established in
order to show partiality towards the interconnection of DG
in those areas. This needs to be supported by the necessary
regulatory framework and demand response program
design.
C. Remote applications
In many countries the use of diesel generation in remote
applications and communities is quite important. In
Canada, there is a great interest to consider
environmentally preferred options, such as integration of
small hydro and wind. In addition, methods for load
following in these communities could be demonstrated and
validated as part of these research activities.
The economics associated with diesel and other fossil
fuel technologies is tightly tied to the price of fuel and the
transportation and maintenance costs, which are typically
much higher in remote locations; therefore, there is a
greater incentive to consider the application of renewable
energy, combined heat and power retrofits, and demand
response strategies.
D. Microgrids
Applied research on microgrids that consider integrated
network infrastructure and a power delivery system that
can operate in parallel with the grid or in an intentional
island mode is being supported by several international
research programs. In Canada, there is an interest in
considering the opportunity of linking distribution system
automation infrastructure upgrades and the benefits for
greater integration of distributed and renewable energy
technologies. However, the economic argument for
configuring a system for microgrid is difficult, particularly
given the relatively high degree of reliability that is
presently offered by most modern power systems.
The extension from research to utility adoption will only
follow with demonstration that microgrids provide both
value and significant benefits. Although various utility case
studies have been cited, it has yet to be established whether
widespread utility adoption of the microgrid concept can
be anticipated. Research on microgrid management and
operation strategies that consider the use of renewables and
environmentally preferred distributed power; peak-load
management strategies; and automated distribution and
protection system architecture, have been initiated as part
of the DEP program activities.
V. CANADIAN OUTLOOK
Presently, a great deal of knowledge has been gained
regarding DG technologies and their implementation.
However, with the exception of wind parks, the actual
number of these systems is still minimal. In order to
increase the acceptance and level of DG, further steps are
required, each of which have been incorporated into the
design of the DEP research program.
A. Standardized impact assessment and integration
techniques
Significant effort has been made to develop
interconnection standard and codes, as well as application
guides. To complement these, more effort is now required
to improve the planning tools used by distribution
engineers, since they currently do not provide any guidance
specific to the integration of renewable and distributed
generation. These software tools need to evolve in order to
facilitate the technical assessment of DG integration. A
schematic that described the Canadian strategy is shown in
Fig. 7. NRCan is collaborating with CYME International
and utility partners to improve the software tool to
accommodate modeling of DG and integration studies,
complemented with the development of case studies based

Fig. 7. Canadian technical strategy for addressing integration of DG.
upon Canadian benchmarks. These will be used to educate
and increase our knowledge base on the integration of DG
and the use of these new software functionalities.
Regulatory support
While many of the technical issues can be addressed
through the development of guides and interconnection
standards, regulations are typically a greater barrier to DG
integration. Due to the fact that the utility owns the
infrastructure and are responsible for its operation, the
responsibility for serving the client rest almost entirely with
this entity. As a result, the motivation for integration
privately owned generators is not great considering that
these systems generally add a degree of complexity and
decrease the ability to which the system can be controlled.
Government policy changes can help to impose
acceptance of certain amounts of renewable generation,
however, equally important will be sharing of the
responsibility for serving the load. Likely, DG will diverge
into two general classes: those that are exempt from
responsibility and simply disconnect in the event of
disturbance; and those that share in the responsibility and
aid in supporting the grid network and in providing
ancillary services. For example, large wind parks are
accepting more responsibility for grid support, whereas this
additional complexity and costs for simple residential
photovoltaic rooftop applications is not justified. The
distinction should become clearer for all technologies in
order to streamline the process for integrating different
types of environmentally preferred DG sources.
B. Cost benefit analysis
Greater responsibility for certain DG as well as supply
of various services should be compensated for
economically. This will improve the economic viability of
DG but also will encourage participation in operation of the
system. While this is more or less apparent, what is not as
TEAM
clear is what the actual amount should be. In certain cases a
DG may negatively impact the system whereas in different
circumstances DG will greatly contribute to improvements
in the overall operation of the system. Whereas methods
for determining the technical impacts have already been
developed methods for quantifying the benefits and costs
associated with DG are not well defined, [10].
As the economics associated with DG presents itself as
likely the most important barrier, it is imperative that
methods for assessing the costs and benefits of DG be
defined. Without properly defined methodologies much
uncertainty remains regarding the actual costs that are
charged to DG owners and benefits will never be
appropriately acknowledged.
C. Regional characteristics
Distributed generation has experienced a greater degree
of growth in certain countries where the technologies
implemented may not necessarily have been those best
suited to the area in question. As the industry matures, site
selection of the DG and selection of the technology itself
should reflect what makes most sense in terms of cost,
benefits, and needs of the local community. While optimal
placement of DG may be too limiting in the site selection a
move towards favoring certain regions over others through
price signals should be considered. Furthermore, the
technologies that are chosen should be taken into
consideration when selecting the site as well. Wind and
small hydro are technologies that could certainly help to
serve rural systems, however they are less likely to play a
role in urban settings. Part of making renewables more
competitive with conventional technologies may be in
choosing where they are most beneficial for the regional
requirements.
The application of microgrids in Canada will be based
primarily on cost and reliability. Currently there are a
number of applications that are of significant interest, such
as to improve service on rural feeders (low probability,
high impact events), to reduce the use of diesel fuel in
remote communities, and where sensitive loads on the grid
demand a higher level of reliability (emergency and back-
up power supply).
VI. CONCLUSIONS
Decentralized energy production has the potential to
offer improvements in power system efficiency, reliability
and energy diversity, as well as provide an opportunity to
integrate a more significant level of renewable energy into
our current generation mix in Canada. While significant
knowledge has been gained through past experience, the
practical implementation of smaller distributed generation
has proved to be more challenging than perhaps originally
anticipated. Numerous barriers have presented themselves
in opposition to large-scale integration, namely technical
challenges, lack of the necessary regulatory framework,
and cost. The extent of future DG growth will depend in
large part on a greater understanding of its impact on the
power system, improvements in current utility system
planning tools, and significant collaboration from all
stakeholders in cooperatively developing a sustainable
strategy for integration of renewable and distributed
generation in Canada.
VII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would kindly like to acknowledge
contributions from BC Hydro, Canadian Wind Energy
Association (CANWEA), Sherbrooke Hydro, CIMA,
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and FortisAlberta.
Financial support for this research project was provided
in part by Natural Resources Canada through the
Technology and Innovation Initiative as part of the climate
change plan for Canada.
VIII. REFERENCES
[1] http://www.canwea.ca
[2] http://www.micropower–connect.org
[3] Joos, G., “Grid code review”, Integration of Renewable Energy
Sources and Distributed Energy Resources Conference, Brussels,
Dec. 1-3, 2004.
[4] Dignard, L., “Canadian program on decentralized energy production:
a component of the technology and innovation initiative”,
Integration of Renewable Energy Sources and Distributed Energy
Resources Conference, Brussels, Dec. 1-3, 2004.
[5] www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/team_2004/
[6] Fulton, R., and C. Abbey, “Planned islanding of 8.6 MVA IPP for
BC Hydro system reliability”, Integration of Renewable Energy
Sources and Distributed Energy Resources Conference, Brussels,
Dec. 1-3, 2004.
[7] Cantin, M., “Use of emergency generators for peak load shaving in
Quebec”, report # CETC-Varennes 2005-162 (TR), CANMET
View publication stats
Energy Technology Centre – Varennes, Natural Resources Canada,
July 2005, pp. 20.
[8] Katiraei, F., C. Abbey, and R. Bahry, “Analysis of voltage regulation
problem for a 25 kV distribution network with distributed
generation” PES General Meeting 2006, accepted, Montreal, June
2006.
[9] Natural Resources Canada, CANMET R&D program web link :
http://cetc-varennes.nrcan.gc.ca/en/er_re/inter_red/
[10] Rawson, M., “Distributed generation costs and benefits issue paper”,
California Energy Commission (CEC), Public Interest Energy
Research Staff Paper, July 2004.
IX. BIOGRAPHIES
Chad Abbey (S’01) received degree in electrical engineering from the
University of Alberta in 2002. In 2004, he graduated with an M. Eng
degree from McGill University, Montréal where he is currently pursuing
his Ph.D.
He is presented working with CANMET Energy Technology Centre,
in Varennes, Québec where he is a Research Engineer and coordinates a
joint research program on the modeling and integration of distributed
generation. His current research interests include wind energy, distributed
generation and their integration to the grid.
Farid Katiraei (S’01, M’05) received B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in
electrical engineering from Isfahan University of technology (Iran) in
1995 and 1998 respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree also in electrical
engineering from University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada) in 2005. He is
currently a T&D research engineer at the CANMET Energy Technology
Center (Varennes, Québec). His research interests include power
electronic applications on power systems and distributed energy
generation systems for microgrid applications.
Carl Brothers received his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of New Brunswick (1976). Since 2004, he is General Manager
at Frontier Power Systems, a wind-diesel systems integrator and developer
responsible for the RAMEA project. He has been Site Manager, for twenty
years at the Atlantic Wind Test Site, a national facility for testing and
developing wind turbines. Previously, he has held engineering positions at
Nitrochem Inc., CE Canada and Amoco Oil Company.
Mr. Brothers has received the Canadian Wind Energy Association’s
R.J. Templin Award (1995) for his outstanding contribution to the
development of Canadian wind-energy technology.
Lisa Dignard-Bailey received her Ph.D. in Chemistry (1986) from the
University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, and also worked as a
post-doctoral fellow in the Engineering Physics Department of École
Polytechnique in Montréal, Canada. She joined CANMET research
laboratories of Natural Resources Canada in 1987 and is currently a science
and technology program manager at the CANMET Energy Technology
Centre based in Varennes, Québec. She is the R&D program leader for the
application of renewable energy in remote communities and theme leader
for the integration of decentralized energy resources. She is actively
involved in the development of international standards and is a member of
the Canadian Standards Association committee responsible for renewable
energy standards.
Géza Joós (M’82, SM’89) graduated from McGill University,
Montreal, Canada, with an M.Eng. (1974) and Ph.D. (1987). His
employment experience includes ABB, the Ecole de technologie
supérieure, Concordia University, and since 2001, McGill University,
Montreal, Canada. He is involved in fundamental and applied research
related mostly to the application of high-power electronics to power
conversion and power systems, an area in which he has published
extensively.
He is Vice-Chair (2001-2003) of the Industrial Power Converter
Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) and is active
on a number of IEEE Power Engineering Society working groups,
including the DC and FACTS Subcommittee of the Transmission and
Distribution Committee and Chair (2003-)